Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to surgical laser systems and, more specifically, to a split laser fiber and a surgical tool that includes the split laser fiber.
Medical lasers have been used in various practice areas, such as, for example, urology, neurology, otorhinolaryngology, general anesthetic ophthalmology, dentistry, gastroenterology, cardiology, gynecology, and thoracic and orthopedic procedures. Generally, these procedures require precisely controlled delivery of laser energy as part of the treatment protocol. Surgical laser systems typically generate the laser energy in a laser resonator. The laser energy is delivered to a targeted treatment site through a laser fiber.
Different laser surgical treatments often require different types of optical fibers. For instance, a side-firing optical fiber delivers or discharges the laser energy in a lateral direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the fiber. This type of fiber is typically used in cavity wall ablation treatments, such as those used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), for example. An end-firing optical fiber discharges the laser energy along the longitudinal axis of the fiber. Exemplary uses of the end-firing optical fiber include ablating tumors and disintegrating kidney or bladder stones.
Additionally, different laser surgical treatments may require the delivery of different wavelengths of laser energy. For instance, the laser energy used to ablate tissue in a BPH laser treatment may be different from that selected to cut tissue, or disintegrate kidney or bladder stones.